The basic method for traditional risotto lends itself to pretty much anything. This version is a delightful warm afternoon lunch that can be quickly thrown together with leftover chicken. At this time of year Button Squash and Lovage are in plentiful supply, but you can substitute what ever you happen to have at hand. Zucchini or any other Summer squash or pumpkin for the Button Squash, Celery tops or even flat leaf parsley for the Lovage. Try adding fresh asparagus or snap peas instead of the beans 🙂

This is a truly epic side-dish for roast pork, veal or chicken. It’s also a welcome bring-a-plate to a BBQ or potluck party. The rich, tart-sweet flavour, contrasting textures and delicious bloody-purple colour delight all the senses. I like to reserve a few of the onions and blend them into a gravy. Any leftovers brighten up the most boring salad.

Potatoes are one of the world’s favourite vegetables, it’s a shame they are often one of the most boring. Don’t get me wrong, jacket potatoes stuffed with bolognese sauce, baked beans or pretty much any leftover casserole is the brunch of champions. On their own however, they are kind of starchy and .. well .. bland. Enter the “twice or thrice cooked” potato. We saw one of its incarnations as Hammy Potato Sauté a little while ago, now I’d like to show you what other delights it can offer.

One of the things that initially drew Beloved and I together was our love of cooking. Back in the day, he ran a little bistro that had become justifiably famous for his amazingly rich, complex Beef Stroganoff. He has cooked it for me many times, and I am always struck by how “layered” the dish is. The trick, you see, is to cook it as three dishes linked by the creamy sauce. Meat, mushrooms, bacon bring their own unique element to the mix and the flavours play together magically. I’ve used this method and added my own twist.

Welcome

This blog started its life as a chunk of data for my Beloved to work the arcane magic he calls “Web Development”. Through several incarnations (and many, many re-edits), my ramblings about food, plants, herb-lore and stuff have sort of .. grown. So I bid you welcome to my garden, my kitchen and my workshop. Take a load off, sip some tea and bide a while.